1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to food products and more particularly to a low calorie fiber fortified bread. The term "bread" as used herein is intended to refer to breads broadly with reference to the product commonly and generally known as bread by the layman including specialty and variety breads.
2. Background of the Invention
Among the numerous non-assimilated carbohydrate materials proposed in food formulations such as low calorie bread is purified cellulose that has been subjected to acid hydrolysis as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,104. The material described in the patent is believed to be identical with the product now being sold under the trademark Avicel by the FMC Corporation, American Viscose Division of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Avicel, an alphacellulose material, has been tried experimentally in making bread but is quite expensive. In addition, Avicel has a tremendous absorbing capacity for water. Moreover, if enough Avicel is used to produce a 25 percent calorie reduction, a commercially satisfactory finished product cannot be produced using standard dough formulations or any dough formula.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,951 describes the production of dietetic baking products including bread in which ground nut protein or wheat bran is used to partially or completely replace starch. Ground nut protein is expensive and wheat bran contains a good deal of nutritive material. Accordingly, its calorie lowering capabilities are limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,018 discloses a low calorie white bread formulation which includes flour and utilizes wheat bran as a coarsening agent. It was noted that use of bran of about 6% results in a dark colored loaf and did not result in suitable bread consistency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,170, which is herein incorporated by reference discloses a high fiber bread which utilizes as the fiber component field pea hulls. The product, however, has a bitter taste from the pea hulls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,179, which is herein incorporated by reference relates to a bread dough for standard white bread which incorporates pea bran in an amount of about 2% to 3%. Larger amounts were stated to cause the bread to lose its white bread consistency.
Other non-nutritive food substances such as rice hulls, corn cobs, bean nulls, etc. have been proposed for use separately but not in conjunction with one another in making biscuits or crackers. Biscuits and crackers are, however, hard and usually friable. Accordingly, performance requirements are relatively easy to meet. Moreover, gas development and expansion of the dough is a relatively minor factor. In the case of bread, on the other hand, a smooth, light, and resilient texture is required. The volume must be high and the grain structure even. In addition, each loaf must retain just the proper resiliency and gas-holding ability while expanding during proofing and baking.